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SOTO Amicus Stove With or Without Igniter Review
Editor’s Conclusion
The SOTO Amicus stove comes from the same makers of the very popular Windmaster model. Therefore, users can expect a well-performing stove that meets all requirements when used in the right context. Amicus is a Latin word that means friend and we all know how happy we are with a well performing stove when we need to prepare a hot drink or meal quickly.
Using this cooking set is very easy; small arms extend from the stove to set up a safe and stable support base for a cooking pot. The stove screws onto a gas canister and this forms the base for seating on a surface.
Weighing in at only 75-grams, this stove is very light and it folds down to a small size for easy transportation. Users report this can be carried inside a cooking pan in a hiking backpack.
Two options are available; for those who carry a gas lighter when out camping or backpacking there is the version that comes without an igniter; there is also a model which is available with an electronic igniter.
For those of you looking for a good performing stove that folds down to an exceptionally small size, read on and decide if this model is good enough to be included in your kit.
Using this cooking set is very easy; small arms extend from the stove to set up a safe and stable support base for a cooking pot. The stove screws onto a gas canister and this forms the base for seating on a surface.
Weighing in at only 75-grams, this stove is very light and it folds down to a small size for easy transportation. Users report this can be carried inside a cooking pan in a hiking backpack.
Two options are available; for those who carry a gas lighter when out camping or backpacking there is the version that comes without an igniter; there is also a model which is available with an electronic igniter.
For those of you looking for a good performing stove that folds down to an exceptionally small size, read on and decide if this model is good enough to be included in your kit.
Editor's Pros & Cons
Pros
Exceptionally lightweight
With/without igniter
Easy to use
Good wind resistance
Heats up quickly
Shock resistant
SPRING-LOADED support for pots
Stainless steel
4 support arms for pots
Low cost
Cons
Check the ignitor before you set-off
Key Features
Performance
The Soto Amicus cook set offers two choices of design, a model without an igniter and one with a built-in igniter. The push-button igniter is a nice feature; however, user feedback advises testing it before you go camping.
The version without an igniter is easy to light up, produces a good consistent flame, and heats up quickly while boiling water or cooking. The gas tap is easy to regulate and you can go from a high boil down to a simmer easily which means great control while cooking.
Fuel for the flame comes from an isobutane canister with a burn time of around 1.5 hours for each 8oz canister. The cooking set screws securely onto the top of the canister which in turn becomes the stand-base for the cooker. A designed lip around the stove face serves to give the flame protection during steady blowing wind; feedback from users say they do note it helps performance but advise the best option with all stoves is to invest in a windshield. Alternatively, just place the stove in a position where it is out of the flow of the wind; this is a preferred option among many campers and backpackers.
Four spring-operated support arms easily deploy and lock into place to provide nice stable support for a kettle or pot and this feature does potentially offer good support but it is debatable if the performance is much higher than other three-pronged supports.
Extra's
The Soto Amicus stove can be purchased with the Soto's River Pot (new version) and this pot has a non-slip base and the lid is translucent; this means no need to lift or remove the lid to check on boiling water or cooking food.
The inside burner post improves ignition via a stealth ignitor system - this also gives protection against breakage. Offered in two versions, without or with an igniter, if you buy the version with a piezo igniter, it is sensible to test that the push-button ignition is fully working.
Using pans that can boil or cook enough food for two people is easy enough; the fuel efficiency is good and the burn rate is consistent, the stove will perform in windy weather though the trade-off will be higher fuel consumption.
Made from stainless steel, the stove is robust and durable and should be good for a number of years; it is very easy to clean, folds down to a tiny compact size, and can be stowed away in a cooking pot.
The Soto Amicus cook set offers two choices of design, a model without an igniter and one with a built-in igniter. The push-button igniter is a nice feature; however, user feedback advises testing it before you go camping.
The version without an igniter is easy to light up, produces a good consistent flame, and heats up quickly while boiling water or cooking. The gas tap is easy to regulate and you can go from a high boil down to a simmer easily which means great control while cooking.
Fuel for the flame comes from an isobutane canister with a burn time of around 1.5 hours for each 8oz canister. The cooking set screws securely onto the top of the canister which in turn becomes the stand-base for the cooker. A designed lip around the stove face serves to give the flame protection during steady blowing wind; feedback from users say they do note it helps performance but advise the best option with all stoves is to invest in a windshield. Alternatively, just place the stove in a position where it is out of the flow of the wind; this is a preferred option among many campers and backpackers.
Four spring-operated support arms easily deploy and lock into place to provide nice stable support for a kettle or pot and this feature does potentially offer good support but it is debatable if the performance is much higher than other three-pronged supports.
Extra's
The Soto Amicus stove can be purchased with the Soto's River Pot (new version) and this pot has a non-slip base and the lid is translucent; this means no need to lift or remove the lid to check on boiling water or cooking food.
The inside burner post improves ignition via a stealth ignitor system - this also gives protection against breakage. Offered in two versions, without or with an igniter, if you buy the version with a piezo igniter, it is sensible to test that the push-button ignition is fully working.
Using pans that can boil or cook enough food for two people is easy enough; the fuel efficiency is good and the burn rate is consistent, the stove will perform in windy weather though the trade-off will be higher fuel consumption.
Made from stainless steel, the stove is robust and durable and should be good for a number of years; it is very easy to clean, folds down to a tiny compact size, and can be stowed away in a cooking pot.
In Comparison to Other Camping Stoves
The range of small camping stoves is a very large market with lots of competition. Differences in terms of performance between the Amicus and other models such as the Robens-Fire Midge or the MSR-Pocket-Rocket are minimal, they all feature similar design in that arms fold out from the stove to support a pot; they all have a connection to a gas canister through a screw system to attach the stove to the canister.
The Amicus cooking set differs in that it has four support arms for pots, and it has a lip-ridge system around the top burner which cuts down the effect of breezes and wind while cooking. Offering a stove with ignition or without an ignition is not a notable difference because there are many other stove models with or without the ignition systems.
Construction is in tune with many other brands; stainless steel is popular because it is durable, strong, and easy to keep clean.
The stove does perform, the flame regulation is user-friendly - from a high heat down to a controlled simmer is easy to do, the simplicity of function is very good. For a tiny stove, the performance is really impressive. Does it edge ahead of other similar brands or is it equal in performance?
User feedback is consistently positive; the stove is a lightweight model, very easy to transport, certainly up to the tasks of boiling water and cooking food, and in favor of the Amicus in comparison to a range of similar models, this stove is available at a buyer-friendly price.
This stove does edge ahead of competitors in terms of price while easily providing a performance which equals other stoves and with designed in wind resistance features, perhaps saves some money on fuel on windy days. The three-pronged arm supports seen in other stoves are safe and popular, while this model takes a step ahead and provides four supportive arms.
The Amicus cooking set differs in that it has four support arms for pots, and it has a lip-ridge system around the top burner which cuts down the effect of breezes and wind while cooking. Offering a stove with ignition or without an ignition is not a notable difference because there are many other stove models with or without the ignition systems.
Construction is in tune with many other brands; stainless steel is popular because it is durable, strong, and easy to keep clean.
The stove does perform, the flame regulation is user-friendly - from a high heat down to a controlled simmer is easy to do, the simplicity of function is very good. For a tiny stove, the performance is really impressive. Does it edge ahead of other similar brands or is it equal in performance?
User feedback is consistently positive; the stove is a lightweight model, very easy to transport, certainly up to the tasks of boiling water and cooking food, and in favor of the Amicus in comparison to a range of similar models, this stove is available at a buyer-friendly price.
This stove does edge ahead of competitors in terms of price while easily providing a performance which equals other stoves and with designed in wind resistance features, perhaps saves some money on fuel on windy days. The three-pronged arm supports seen in other stoves are safe and popular, while this model takes a step ahead and provides four supportive arms.
Verdict
This is a practical backpacking stove, it does the job admirably well; the ease of use means a beginner can operate it without any issues. If you invest in the stove and the River pot, you can collapse the stove and carry it inside the pot.
The Lindal valve allows it to fit any standard gas canister such as Jetboil, Snow Peak, MSR, and of course canisters of gas from the stove maker, Soto.
The price tag is lower than many other models though the performance is easily equal and in some cases due to its extra wind resistance features, it can be a little cheaper to operate.
You won't go wrong with the Soto Amicus stove, it hits the mark, it is designed for specific use and it meets performance/ease of use requirements. A very good investment which will give many years of reliable service at a price which consumers will appreciate.
The Lindal valve allows it to fit any standard gas canister such as Jetboil, Snow Peak, MSR, and of course canisters of gas from the stove maker, Soto.
The price tag is lower than many other models though the performance is easily equal and in some cases due to its extra wind resistance features, it can be a little cheaper to operate.
You won't go wrong with the Soto Amicus stove, it hits the mark, it is designed for specific use and it meets performance/ease of use requirements. A very good investment which will give many years of reliable service at a price which consumers will appreciate.
$49.95See Deal